Student from FME became the third-best CNC miller in the Czech Republic under the age of 23

Filip Klátil, the third-year student of the bachelor's program with a focus on NC machine programming from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of West Bohemia brought home a bronze medal from the Czech National CNC Milling Championship.

The fourth annual Searching for the Master of the Czech Republic in CNC Milling competition took place from November 19 to 22 in Brno. Filip's colleagues from the faculty's research center, Regional Technological Institute (RTI) - Luboš Kroft, Jiří Hruška, and Martin Suchý, assisted him in preparing for the finals. The latter two had previously excelled in the competition – Jiří Hruška won the championship in 2021, and Martin Suchý came in second the following year. Thus, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering boldly claimed a spot on the podium again this year.

The event took place as part of the CzechSkills professional competition, which was attended by Czech and foreign competitors aged 17 to 23. In the sub-sector in which the FST student came third, six of the 20 participants qualified for the Brno final. They were given specific tasks. Based on a drawing, they had to program and create so-called workpieces (see photo in the gallery).

"As the years progress, the quality and level of the participants in the competition increase. This year, practical experience at the machine, where Filip is still gaining experience, was decisive, yet he was closely trailing the second place," says coach Jiří Hruška appreciatively, and his colleague Luboš Kroft adds: "I am proud of Filip for how he managed everything and represented ZČU because this competition is really challenging. Third place is an absolutely fantastic result."

And how does Filip himself evaluate his participation and the final placement?

"The preparation itself consisted of many tens of hours. It is a very complex competition where one must master a wide range of skills in our field. This year, my machine operation, which was decisive, was significantly improved with the help of RTI. I devoted the most time to programming, which was the most crucial – without a functioning program, I could not have machined anything and thus could simplify my work on the machine," explains Filip, adding: "I went to Brno convinced that I could place in the top three and mainly with the intention to enjoy the final week as much as possible and learn as much as I can. I think I fulfilled both wishes."

The competition Searching for the Master of the Czech Republic in CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Milling has been organized since 2021 by the nonprofit organization Skills Czech Republic, which focuses on supporting technically talented youth under 23 years old in this field.